Bone may be one of the toughest materials in the human body, but a hefty collision or sickness can lead it to crack, snap and even waste away.
Now researchers in the US are hoping to mend broken and damaged bones using 3D-printed implants which encourage the bones to heal themselves.
In a breakthrough study, the team has revealed a man-made material which acts as scaffold for the patient’s own bone.
This has been shown to repair injuries in mice and monkeys.
Developed by a team in Chicago, the researchers say it could lead to low-cost implants for patients with bone cancers, spinal... read more

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Xenicibis also had a much larger breastbone and longer wings than most flightless birds.
'That was our first clue that the wings were still being used for something,' said Dr Longrich.
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